Featured Ways to write the number 9

Now when we use Roman numerals we write 9 with "IX". That uses a subtraction principle that is not frequently used on ancient Roman coins. Romans usually (not always) wrote 9 with addition "VIIII." The Greek numeral for 9 is theta, Θ. When the Romans used Greek numerals (they did, quite a bit) Θ was often avoided because it was regarded as bad luck, being the first letter of Thanatos, a word and letter used for "death" or "deceased" on military roles. When an late Roman issue had officina numbers in Greek with 9 or more officina, they usually wrote the officina number 9 with "ЄΔ" (5+4 = 9) and not with "Θ".



Diocletian, 284-305,
CONCORDIA MILITVM
emperor standing right, holding short scepter in left, receiving victory on globe from Hercules left, holding vertical long scepter in left with bow (hanging from his shoulder?)
ЄΔ, for 9, low in the middle field
•XXI
IMP C C VAL DIOCLETIANVS AVG
RIC V.II Diocletian 322 Antioch, p. 256

Under the Byzantine empire they sometimes used the Roman "V" or
for 5.



35 mm. 19.33 grams.
Justinian, year 19 from Cyzicus, X/ɥI/II/I for 19 (10+6+2+1). Sear 207.

Also, Byzantines introduced a new symbol for 6 (sort of like a V with the left side longer and curled over the top),
, which allows more ways to write 9, which is 6+3.



32 mm. 16.89 grams.
Justinian, Sear 163, Year 29 from Constantinople. XX/IGI/I (20+1+6+1+1)

Show some ancient coins with the number 9 on them!

 

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The Gallienus Zoo Series uses "N" (Nu) for the 9th Officina:

Gallienus, Billon Antoninianus, Rome Mint, 9th Officina, 10th emission (Göbl), 267-268 AD. Obv. Radiate cuirassed bust right, GALLIENVS AVG / Rev. Hippocamp swimming right, NEP-TVNO CONS AVG; in exergue, N [= Nu, for 9th Officina). RIC V-1 245, RSC IV 668 (ill.), Wolkow 23i9, Bust Type B3, Ribbons Type 3 [Cédric Wolkow, Catalogue des monnaies romaines - Gallien - L'émission dite "Du Bestiaire" - atelier de Rome (BNumis, édition 2019). at p. 87], Göbl MIR [Moneta Imperii Romani] Band 36, No. 743b, Sear RCV III 10292. 19 mm., g. Purchased from Akropolis Ancient Coins, May 2021.



I have one coin that does use a Theta for the 9th Officina:

Eastern Roman Empire, Arcadius, 383-408 AD, AV Solidus 397-402 AD, Constantinople Mint (9th Officina). Obv. Helmeted and cuirassed bust facing three-quarters right, holding spear over right shoulder and shield on left arm bearing image of horseman right; D N ARCADI-VS P F AVG / Rev. Helmeted Constantinopolis seated facing on throne, head right, with right knee bare and right foot resting on prow, holding long scepter with right hand and, on left hand, Victory with wreath standing on globe; CONCORDI-A AVGG Θ [Theta, for 9th Officina]; in exergue, CONOB [for Constantinople Mint]. RIC X 7 at. p. 240 (1994); Dumberton Oaks Catalogue, Late Roman 207-217 (217 = 9th Officina) and Plate 8 [P. Griessen. & M. Mays, Catalogue of Late Roman Coins in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection, etc. (1992)]; Sear RCV V 20706 (ill. p. 431) (1994). 20 mm., 4.44 g. Purchased from Dr. Busso Peus Nachf., Frankfurt, Germany, 1 April 2021. Ex. Auktionen Münzhandlung Sonntag Auktion 33 Lot 36 (23.11. 2020); ex. Auktion 116 München Münzhandlung Karl Kreß [Kress](Otto Helbing Nachfolger), Lot 729 (28.10.1960).



Two coins that use VIIII for 9:

Roman Republic, P. Satrienus, AR Denarius, 77 BCE. Obv. Helmeted head of Mars right, control-number (L[in archaic form of upside-down T]XXXVIIII = 89) behind/ Rev. She-wolf standing left with right front paw raised, ROMA above, P. SATRIE-NVS in two lines below. RSC I Satriena 1, Crawford 388/1b, Sear RCV I 319 (ill.), Harlan, RRM I Ch. 15 at pp. 92-97, BMCRR Rome 3209-3237 [no entry for control no. 89; cf. 3236 (no. 99)]. 18 mm., 3.87 g., 3 hr.



Septimius Severus, AR Denarius 201 AD, Rome Mint. Obv. Laureate head right, SEVERVS - PIVS AVG / Rev. Trophy with two Parthian captives seated at its base, facing outwards, with their hands supporting their heads, PART MAX P M - TR P VIIII. RIC IV-1 176, RSC III 370, Sear RCV (1988 ed.) 1767, BMCRE 356. 19 mm., 3.49 g. (Purchased from Harlan J. Berk, Ltd., 212th Buy or Bid Sale, August 2020, Lot 153; Ex. Philip Ashton Collection, acquired Jan. 1998).

 

Byzantium, Michael II the Amorian and Theophilus, year 9

 

All coins of the type and nearby Sear issues use theta. I don't think it has anything to do with a year. It is part of an "immobilized" type and meaningless.

 

Ah, OK.

 

Interesting about your example of the number 9...IX and/or VIIII. All through school in the 50s and 60s I never saw it nor learned it as VIIII...only as IX. The first time I ever saw it as addition I was temporarily stumped...thought it was a mistake...figured it out by simple deduction but thought, why not keep it simple and not waste all that ink, 6 lines v. just 3...?!

 

I thought it was a singular mistake when I saw 4 on coins as IIII and not IV as learned in school, but I have quite a few examples to be just a random glitch.

 

Some wristwatches have IIII. I bought a few fake watches in China with IIII, and I thought it was because they messed up. Turns out it's real!

 

Byzantine coins are an animal for denominations. I have this one 10-nummus which, instead of the simple "I," has E-B, which is 5x2.


Begs the question.... Why not just use the I....

 

That coin is a pentanummia, a 5-nummi piece, with officina B = 2, not a 10-nummi piece.

 

well that's awkward. haha. thanks for the correction

 

I have a Focas with a XXXX instead of M.

 

(4+5 = 9) Persecution issue during the time of Maximinus Daia, AD 310-313 Jupiter/Victory

The 9th officina (of 10) Δ-Є. Θ the 9th letter of the Greek alphabet and also the first letter of the word 'death' (Θάνατος).

 

An interesting and informative thread. Topics like this make me look over my collection and see what I've already forgotten about.

Here's a Byzantine with "9" rendered with the Greek "6" - ς / III:

Justin II & Sophia Æ Follis
Year 9 (573-574 A.D.)
Cyzicus Mint
DN IVSTINVS PP AVG. Justin and Sophia on double throne, cross between heads / Large M; ANNO left; regnal year ς / III right; cross above; Officina A below; KYZ in exergue.
SB 372; MIB 50.
(12.00 grams / 27 mm)
eBay Sep. 2020

Here is "9" written with the Greek "5" - μ I/III. This was part of a wonderful lot sent to me by @tenbobbit


Byzantine Empire Half Follis
Justin II
Year 9 (573-574 A.D.)
Thessalonica Mint
[D N IVSTINVS P P AVG], Justin on left, Sophia on right, seated facing on double-throne / Large K, ANNO left, regnal year μ I/III (9) right, cross above, mintmark TЄS below.
SB 366; MIB 70.
(5.49 grams / 19 mm)
@tenbobbit Jan. 2020

 

Interesting post @Valentinian.
I see different ways to count on scale weights. The last CNG auction had an interesting weight. It was advertised -

• Circa 4th-5th centuries. Æ 2 Ounce? Commercial Weight (36x36mm, 46.17 g, 12h). Two facing imperial busts, set on ornate entablature; below, Γ B or S?

I think the weight reads Γ S or more likely Γ ζ. If I convert the scale's weight into units the Romans used -

• in 27.2 grams per uncia - 46.17 / 27.2 = 1.7 uncia, Roman ounce
• in 4.55 grams per solidi - 46.17 / 4.55 = 10.1 solidi

Γ S and γζ were used on 6 uncia weights, see below. A 6 ounce weights are about 163.7 grams. The most likely letters do not match the standard weight.

If you use math like shown above, the weight could be - Γ (3) + ζ (6) = 9. The weight seems to be heavy for 9 solidi.

Is there any way to read CNG's weight letters as 10?



I am still looking for a VNCIA IIII or VNCIA IV barrel weight.

 

Great thread!

 

One of the least popular pages on my website was on this subject. I copy question six below:

Question Group Six - Numbers:


We all know Roman numerals but the Romans did not always use Roman numerals for every purpose. All five of these coins have in common the same number. That same number is expressed in a different way on each of the five coins.

• 6-1. What is the number that appears on all five coins?

• 6-2. What is the purpose of the number on the Provincial Coin? The answer need not be more than two words.

• 6-3. What is the purpose of the number on coins A and C? There are two acceptable words but this answer only requires one of the two words.

• 6-4. In twenty words or less: Explain why the number as used on coins A and C was expressed in a different form.

• 6-5. Place these five coins in chronological order using a string of the five ID letters (e.g. ABCDE).

 

A few Alexandrian examples:

L Θ

EGYPT, Alexandria. Caracalla as Caesar
RY 9 of Septimius Severus, 200/1 CE
Diobol
Obv: [illegible but probably AVT] KMAVPHΛANTωNINOCCEB; laureate draped bust right
Rev: Agathodaemon standing erect right, "holding" grain ear; atop horse galloping right; LΘ below
Ref: Dattari 4050; Emmett 2774. This rare type was previously known only for Caracalla’s 10th regnal year.

ETOVΣ ENATOV

EGYPT, Alexandria. Domitian
Year 9, CE 89/90
AE diobol, 25 mm, 9.13 gm
Obv: laureate bust right
Rev: ETOVΣ ENATOV; bust of Isis right
Ref: Dattari-Savio Pl 19, 6747 (this coin); Geissen 329; Emmett 296.9, R5
ex Dattari collection (Giovanni Dattari, 1858-1923)

ET ENAT

Hadrian tet, year 9, Isis Pharia. Emmett 868.9 (R5)

 

The '9' matter was most useful to numismatic scholarship one time in particular. Sulla 80 posted the coin.

When RIC VI was published, people attributed the Anonymous Pagan coins to Julian II time rather than Maximinus II time so they were not included.

When RIC VIII was published, people had re-attributed the Anonymous Pagan coins to Maximinus II time rather than Julian II time so they were not included. That meant the coins are not in RIC. The pagan aversion to the 9 went out of style with the advent of Christianity and Julian's own coinage used theta nines as had the last few emperors before him. The coins here simply could not be issued after the changeover so scholars rethought the matter. I have never owned a Julian theta coin but RIC lists them. The closest I have is this Antioch mint Constantius II.

 

Now, that is a very fun thread. Thanks to all and Cheers.